Category: Gluten-Free

Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Hamburger Buns – $4.49+

One of the first brands anyone in the gluten-free community thinks of when you mention any sort of bread product is Udi’s.  Trust me.  They have made a name for themselves by proving time and again that they can push out a quality gluten-free product that rivals not just the competition, but also the real thing.

Udi’s was my first love affair with gluten-free bread.  I think I cried a little the first time I took a bite of a sandwich using their bread.

So, after having the opportunity to eat a veggie burger at a restaurant with a gluten-free bun, I realized how much I missed being able to pick up my burgers at home.  It’s such a small, simple thing…but you don’t realize how much you miss it until you can’t do it anymore.  And with all the gluten-free products out on the market, hamburger buns aren’t too difficult to come by, right?

*cough*

Well, probably in most areas.  Not here.  Thankfully, however, there are a couple of stores around that do stock Udi’s products.  And the Udi’s Whole Grain Hamburger Buns were one of the options available.  They weren’t the first one I snatched up to buy…I shopped around to see what else was out there.  But there was nothing.  So, I returned to Udi’s once more and trusted them to give me a quality product to pair with my veggie burger.

And, as always, they came through for me.

My veggie burger was being cooked in my skillet, and my veggie sides were in the oven and on my grill pan.  As they were finishing up, I pulled out a Udi’s Whole Grain Hamburger Bun to warm up in the microwave for a couple of seconds.  What emerged was soft and delicious, by the way.  When first taking it from the container, the bun seems a bit too…sturdy.  But a quick flash in my microwave remedied that.  Press on the top and it bounced back.

Udi’s Hamburger Buns do come pre-sliced.  YAY!!  This is one detail that makes me incredibly happy.  No needing to search out a sharp knife and attempt to make a decent cut through the roll itself.  I loaded it up with my vegan-cheese covered veggie burger, some bibb lettuce, a slice of tomato, and some onion.  A little ketchup and mustard topped it off.  And viola…my dinner was served.  A veggie burger…IN A BUN!!

It’s the little things in life, folks.  Trust me.

I settled in with my plate and eagerly picked up my veggie burger (YAY!) to take a bite.  The bread, the veggie pattie, the vegetables on top…it all worked well.  And the bun itself was quite the star.  Soft, amazing texture, and delicious.  It tasted like the regular whole wheat buns I used to buy and eat.  Honestly.  I was blown away, again, by yet another Udi’s product.  I was very impressed.  And the bun held up, even with the tomato, which does get the bread soggy.  It did get soggy, but it didn’t crumble and fall apart on me.  And I loved being able to give my entire burger a nice squeeze as I took a bite.

Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Hamburger Buns are made from all ingredients that I recognize.  YAY!  This is a step in the right direction.  One bun does set you back 180 calories though, so be aware.  These buns do contain more calories than most regular buns out on the market.  *sigh*  But, small price to pay.  In addition, each gluten-free bun has 6 grams of fat and also 6 grams of protein.  Love getting that protein!

Udi’s is a star with the gluten-free community, pushing out new and different products.  They nailed it with these hamburger buns.  So, if you are gluten-free and need something for your next family barbeque or a picnic, Udi’s is pretty much available everywhere, unlike other brands out there.  I guarantee you can find these in your local grocery store.  Gluten-free goodness…just in time for grilling season.  Love it.

Go ahead…stop eating your patty with a fork.  You can now pick up your burger and enjoy it like everyone else…in a bun even more spectacular than the one they have.

Product: Sunshine Burgers Garden Herb Veggie Burger – $3.99+

I have been lamenting the serious lack of vegetarian proteins that are gluten-free as well.  They are nigh on impossible to find.  Trust me.  I’ve been searching for over a year now.  And while I have uncovered a few…some things still escape my grasp.

One of the easier faux-tiens to find that are both gluten-free and vegetarian are veggie burgers.  There are a wide variety out there, and while most of the big name brands (Morningstar, Boca, Gardenburger) all have gluten containing ingredients in them…there remain a few on the market that are gluten-free as well.  I’m sort of working my way through them.

So, my palate was jazzed to find another brand that is not only vegan, but gluten-free.  These are Sunshine Burgers.  I have spotted them at my local natural food stores, but they tend to be pretty widely distributed.  I had gotten quite cozy with my normal brand, so I decided it was time to branch out and try something new.  So, into my shopping basket these went and then into my freezer.

Since joining a local CSA group, fresh produce arrives weekly at my door.  This week I not only had onion and tomato, but also local organic bibb lettuce.  NICE!  So…what works well with onion, lettuce and tomato?  Burgers.  Yes…burgers.  So last night, I got out my skillet, lightly spritzed it with oil and got to cooking.

Sunshine Burgers are free of soy, wheat, gluten and dairy.  They are, in fact, vegan!  The ingredients used are all natural and all organic.  And the list is composed of the following: Organic Ground Raw Sun-flower Seeds, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Carrots, Organic Herbs, and Sea Salt.  Yep.  Recognize all of those ingredients because I sure do.

These veggie burgers also cook up really well.  I find, at times, the gluten-free veggie burgers crumble as you cook them up.  Not these.  They held together really well.  And they smelled absolutely delicious as they were cooked up in the skillet.  I was very excited to be trying them out.

As the patty finished up, I warmed up my gluten-free hamburger bun.  Some vegan cheese went onto the burger and I steamed it down to a perfect melted goodness.  Then onto the bun with the lettuce, tomato and onion.  A squirt of organic ketchup and gluten-free mustard and viola…dinner was served (with a side of roasted brocollette and honey-balsamic glazed carrots).

I settled in with my plate and happily took my first bite.  It was heaven.  Heaven on a gluten-free bun.  Seriously.  Bursting with flavor.  You could taste a little bit of everything.  It was beyond good.  It was divine.  Honestly, it was a surprise to take a bite and get such a rush of flavor.  SO delicious.  I was ready for more.  In fact, I was ignoring my sides at first because I was so focused on the veggie burger.  I can’t rave enough about these.  But I’m going to.  They are fantastic.  And even if you aren’t a vegetarian or don’t have food allergies, I think you would really enjoy sinking your teeth into one of these.

The only downside I have to these delicious veggie burgers is…the calorie count.  OUCH!  One burger will set you back 190 calories.  The other flavors top off over 200 calories.  Pair that with a bun and…yeah…your calorie count is climbing.  Oh…and let’s also discuss the 13 grams of fat as well.  YIKES!  My other gluten-free veggie burger of choice has 140 calories and only 5 grams of fat.  The same company but different gluten-free veggie burger also has one for 110 calories and only 3 grams of fat.  And one of the first versions I tried only set me back 100 calories and only 2 grams of fat.  So…what gives?  These may taste delicious…but they are definitely not one of the healthier varieties out there if you watch your calorie and fat intake.  I’m an athlete…so I monitor mine closely.  So…YIKES YIKES YIKES!!

That being said, I will hand it to Sunshine Burger for making a fantastically delicious gluten-free and vegan burger.  I am in love with it.  I am not, however, in love with the nutrition information…and will probably shy away from this brand in the future because of it.  If calories and fat are not an issue for you…or if you want to treat yourself to a delicious veggie burger, and damn the nutritional content…then these should be the first ones you snag out of the freezer.  Honestly…they are one of the best I’ve tasted.  It’s sad that the three patties in that box will probably be the only ones I ever taste.

Sunshine Burgers are fantastic.  I mean…a dream.  But the nutrition information is a bit shocking.  And while it’s okay to indulge every now and again (and believe me…I do).  I have a hard time swallowing so many calories and so much fat with just one small veggie burger patty.  Delicious…and sinfully so.

Product: Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Rice Pasta and Cheddar – $1.99

Rice Pasta and Cheddar?!  WTF?!  Let’s call it what it is, shall we?  Trader Joe’s very own gluten-free macaroni and cheese.  Mmmmm…I love, love, love macaroni and cheese.  When I went gluten-free…I had to create a new way to make it from scratch.  And the options out there on the market were…pretty much limited to Annie’s.

But then my area got a Trader Joe’s.  And while walking the crowded aisles one afternoon, my roomie and I stumbled across boxes of Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Rice Pasta and Cheddar (which honestly is macaroni and cheese…I promise!).  Well, it was such a great bargain that we snatched up a box to try.

Prior to this as far as gluten-free-in-a-box-mac-n-cheeses goes, my only exposure has been Annie’s Rice Macaroni and Cheese.  And it was good.  Especially for nights you don’t have time to shred up your own cheese, cook up noodles, make a white sauce with gluten-free flour and ingredients and bake for 45 minutes.  Let’s face it…some night’s you’re just HUNGRY!

Preparing the macaroni and cheese was similar to the way I had to make the Annie’s version as well.  Boil water.  Add pasta.  Allow to cook for 10-12 minutes.  While noodles are boiling away, make cheese sauce.  Put 1/4 cup of milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) into a measuring cup, then mix in the cheese powder until it is well mixed and you have a cheese soup of sorts in the cup.

Drain the pasta, return to pan, and pour over the cheese sauce.  Stir until well blended.

Now, I have been told the sauce is actually thicker when you use a higher fat milk.  No doubt.  But I am lactose intolerant, and unsweetened almond milk was what I had on hand.  Guess what?  It works great.

Now, Trader Joe’s gluten-free macaroni and cheese is not the cheesiest, nor does it come in fun shapes.  That’s okay because this product doesn’t need that sort of gimmick.  Sure, it’s not Velveeta…but it doesn’t need to be.  The cheese sauce you whip up is perfect to mix in.  If you like your cheese thicker…add some shredded cheddar and give it a good stir.  There you go.

What I can say is that when I compared it to Annie’s Gluten-Free Macaroni & Cheese…Trader Joe’s tasted better.  How about that?  It’s a fraction of the price too.  LOVE IT!!  It was cheesy goodness in every bite.  The noodles didn’t fall apart after cooking, despite constant stirring.  And they held up when the sauce was poured over it and blended in.  The texture was great.  And there was no need to add anything to the sauce.  Mac and cheese perfection from a simple box.  My roomie loved it and she doesn’t have to eat gluten-free.  I mean…loved it.  Especially how cheesy it turned out.  And I didn’t even add cheese.  Just the cheese powder/almond milk mix.

Trader Joe’s…you make a gluten-free life worth living.  Thank you for adding this simple product to this busy girl’s life.  I’d rather make it from scratch…but this makes those mac and cheese cravings simple and easy to fill.  No long waits.  Just 12 minutes to cook the noodles and viola…dinner is served.

If you live near a Trader Joe’s…and even if gluten-free isn’t your thing…try it.  You’ll fall in love with it.  And I guarantee you it’s far better than anything Kraft serves you from a box.

Product: Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Bread Mix – $3.99+

Let’s here it for the power of Hodgson Mill.  I have to hand it to this company.  When they set out to put out a line of gluten-free products, they really worked hard to get it right.  I’ve pretty much enjoyed everything in the Hodgson Mill gluten-free line.  I might still be on the fence with the apple cinnamon muffin mix…but for the most part, this company has far exceeded my expectations when it comes to its gluten-free products.

I happened upon a box of Hodgson Mills Gluten-Free Bread Mix at the grocery store awhile back.  It was on the Manager’s Special table.  The top of the box had been taped together, but the contents inside were not touched nor opened.  In fact, the box hadn’t been opened either.  It just got a little crunched in shipping.  And that’s what happens at my grocery store when that happens.  So, with everything still sealed and safely contained, I figured I’d pick it up and give it a go.

That was a very long while ago.  And with the expiration date looming, my roommate did a full gluten decontamination on my bread maker to make it a dedicated gluten-free bread maker and I got back into baking bread again.  I tried a mix from Pamela’s Products and it turned out really well.  Let me tell you…I had a lot of doubts with Hodgson Mills Gluten-Free Bread Mix from the start.

But…looks can be deceiving.

Starting from the original way to make the bread.  This involved melting down 1/4 cup of butter while warming up some milk (I used my unsweetened almond milk) to 110 degrees on the stove.  Then…once the milk is at the temperature (SO glad I got that kitchen thermometer!), you combine it with the melted butter, two room temperature eggs, and 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar.  Mix these contents together and pour into the bread maker.  Then add the dry mix and place the yeast packet’s contents on top.  Since I do not have a bread maker with a gluten-free setting, I set it for Basic, Medium Crust, and let it run.

At first, the mix was a gooey, oozy, porridge looking mess.  I wasn’t impressed at all.  No clean dough ball that was being kneaded by the hook.  Just a glop of bread mix goo.  I was having my doubts, but I let it play on.  I mean…why not at this point?  I never should have doubted.  Within the last hour of baking, the loaf was taking shape.  And within 30 minutes of being done, my apartment smelled amazing and the crust was browning to golden perfection.  I was beginning to feel better about the situation.  The timer ran out and out came a perfect loaf of gluten-free bread.

I allowed it to cool before giving it a slice (because we had to try it, you know…just in case it only looked impressive!).  It sliced beautifully.  And the crust was a crispy brown delicious coating to soft white bread on the inside.  I was already a happy girl.  I sliced the end piece in half and my roommate and I gave it a taste.  It was really good.  It tasted like freshly baked bread.  So, that was a good thing.  The loaf definitely felt heavy, but the slices of bread weren’t dense or heavy tasting at all.

Tonight, I sprayed a slice with olive oil and seasoned it with garlic powder and salt.  I placed it into the oven to lightly toast and out came another round of gluten-free toasted goodness.  Seriously.  It toasted up so well.  The crust got crispy and the inside was now a light golden brown but still soft, but toasted.  It was amazing to pair with my gluten-free macaroni and cheese, let me tell you!

Hodgson Mill has a large variety of whole grain bread mixes on the market.  So, I should have known to trust this mix as it was baking in the bread maker.  This gluten-free variety is formulated with brown rice grain and is composed of a variety of flours including garbanzo bean flour, corn starch, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, fava flour, rice starch, and then some seasonings.  It is actually a fantastic option for anyone with a gluten intolerance.

Trust me.  I usually can’t have bread so when I do I’m going to be honest with you.  It’s really, really good.  And so far…this has certainly baked up my favorite yet.  SO good.

And don’t worry if you don’t have a bread maker…the box comes with directions for oven baking as well.  Gluten-free bread baked right in the comfort of your own kitchen.  Takes all the guess work out of whether it’s safe or not.  Not only is this mix made on dedicated equipment…it is completely safe.  So bake up some fresh bread at home tonight.  It can be back on the menu…and you can take credit for it.

Thanks for not letting me down, Hodgson Mill.  I love you from the bottom of my gluten-free heart!

Product: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal – $4.89+

The name should say it all, right?

I mean, when your product has “Mighty Tasty” in the name, you best deliver on that promise!  Bob’s Red Mill does…sort of.

I actually probably never would have purchased this on my own.  In fact, I am the owner of two sample packs that I got at the Gluten-Free Expo in Birmingham, Alabama.  I just had not gotten around to making them.  But that changed this morning.

The cereal itself isn’t difficult to prepare.  It’s a simple blend of brown rice, corn, buckwheat, and sorghum.  I was making enough for two people…myself and my roommate…so I used halved the recipe that was on the product itself.  That wasn’t difficult in the least.  Place water and a dash of salt in a saucepan…bring to boil.  Add cereal.  Immediately turn down heat and stir in until well blended.  Cover and allow to cook, stirring occasionally.  I did exactly as it asked and what emerged at the end of 10 minutes was a healthy serving of hot cereal…resembling grits.

Thankfully, I had it in my head to make something to put into it.  I have organic fresh strawberries in my fridge, so I sliced them up, added them to water, zero calorie baking sweetener, and some cornstarch and made a strawberry compote to pour over the top of it.  I added some walnuts as a garnish.

The cereal on its own would have been beyond bland.  But with the addition of the sweet berry compote and the dash of nuttiness from the walnuts…it wasn’t too bad.  I’ve never been a fan of grits, so the immediate texture took some getting used to…but it wasn’t bad.  And, wow, was it ever filling.  It kept well while I ate the other portion of my breakfast, so it didn’t clump up or become inedible within moments of being off the heat.  That is a good thing.

This hot cereal is loaded with fiber and nutrients that help you stay full and give you energy.  As an endurance athlete…this is very important for me.  A serving is only 150 calories, so it won’t take up your entire morning of calories either.  Love that.  Since oats can be tricky for someone who is gluten-free, this is a nice option to have.  I do recommend adding something to the cereal though instead of eating it as it is from the pan.  Both my roommate and I polished off our bowls this morning quite contentedly…after the first few bites.

If texture of food is an issue or if you don’t like hot cereal, this might not be for you.  Bob’s Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal is a good, filling, morning meal.  Mighty Tasty on it’s own…I don’t think so.  So get creative…add what sounds good…touch it up as you feel is appropriate.  And fill up on breakfast again.

Product: Garden of Eatin’ Red Hot Blues Tortilla Chips – $3.99+

I knew there was something special about these chips when I gave one to my roommate before I even sampled them.  I was waiting for the inevitable scrunching up of the face and waving the hands before her mouth declaring that they were too hot for her.  That’s the usual way it rolls in the apartment.  But not this time.

When I opened up the bag of Garden of Eatin’ Red Hot Blues and handed her one of the blue tortilla chips dusted in paprika, cayenne pepper, and other spices she took a bite…then finished it off.  Then immediately made grabby hands for another.  I was shocked.  Her reasoning?  She said they tasted like the, once again discontinued, Pizza Supreme Doritos.  Huh.

Since I was packing them up for my snack at work the following day, I wasn’t going to try one.  But now I was intrigued.  So I went ahead and took a chip to try.  And sure enough…that’s exactly what they tasted like.  Even better, despite the “Red Hot” description in their names, these tortilla trips hardly turn up the heat on your palate.  They do have a mild kick to them, but I wouldn’t classify them as red hot at all.  The flavoring is quite mild for me and it didn’t bother my heat-weary roommate either.  So, take that for what you will.

These blue tortilla chips are made from organic blue corn.  In addition, the chips are dusted with spices and seasonings that create a very pleasing flavor.  Honestly.  If my roommate can eat them, anyone can.  She doesn’t handle anything with any sort of ‘heat’ to it very well.  But these more than impressed her.  As this is one of the gluten-free snacks in the house, they belong to me, but I promised next time we were shopping for snacks for her, she could get one too.  Never mind that they are gluten-free.  I love it when chips are.

The Garden of Eatin’ line of chips is pretty easy to find.  I’ve stumbled across them not just in specialty stores, but also at my local grocery store.  So, just keep your eyes peeled for them.

A serving of these delightfully flavorful tortilla chips is 15 chips (or 28 grams if you weigh out servings like me).  That will only set you back 140 calories and 7 grams of fat for the day.  Not bad considering these are chips.  Even better…you don’t have to have a dip for these chips.  The seasoning does, in fact, make you think that you are munching on higher quality Doritos.  And I’ll take that any day.

A lot of chips on the market are gluten-free…but don’t carry a lable.  Therefore, I don’t buy them.  Because Garden of Eatin’ does label their chips, these were quick to come home with me.  And I’m very glad they did.  One of the best tortilla chips I have had.  Honestly.  Pardon me while I indulge a little in snack time…

Red hot crunchy goodness…bite-for-bite.  Go ahead…bet you can’t eat just one!